Method of forcing plants.



R. D. KLINE.v

METHOD 0F FORCING PLANTS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.11.1911.

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-RUJD'OLPI-I D. KLINE, OF STREATOR, ILLINOIS.

METHOD or renonce rtanrs.

ASpecicaton of Iiettersatent. .Pat-@Html Rial; 26, 1918.

d Application led February 17, 1917. vSerialNo.149,172.

To aZZww/m t mag/ramera." y

Be it known that "I, RUDOLPH jD. Krane, a citizen of the -United States,residing at Streator, in fthe-county of 'La VSalle land Stateoflllinois, "have invented a new `and useful Improvement in Methods ofForcing Plants, of which the following is a specification.

My invention'relates, more particularly, to an improved method offorcing in vthe field, vegetable-plants, such as asparagus, andtlielike, for producing crops out of season, the invention being Vmoreparticularly applicable to the forcing of plants Awhich,

yield` their crops at the commencement of the growingperiod.

Thev lants above referred to, andothers of like character, by reason oftheir nature, under the Weather coiiditionsin the northern latitudes, niature, and become dormant, after the summer season has elapsed, andunderV `natural conditions remain dormant'until ,the

spring months, during `which `dormant pe- `riod no crops under naturalconditionsrare obtainable. g

t is common practice Vto lforce plants of f the character above stated',intermediate-the time theybecome dormantand the time theynaturally-begin toagain grow, this forcing being accomplished by placingan iiiclosureV over the plants to be forced and maintaining therein arelativelyhighidegree ofltemperzv ture, usually from 800 ltoV 95 5F. and1While plants thus yforced `render l.moderately i satisfactory yields,this practicepresents relatively great disadvantages.` K

The forcing of ,plants `of the character above stated, especially`asparagus, when carried onon a commercial scaleyinvolvesthe planting iiithe Vfield of'thelseeds orplants, and the culture of-tlie saine fory anumber of years to produce Lhealthy seasoned plants land when the plantsare'suiiiciently developed, the placing of removable houses usually from16 toilS feet in Widthzand'of anydef sirable length, over theplantsandthevheat# ing of the saine, after the plantshavema-` tured, orbecome dormant, thehousesrafter thefforcing is completed-and the-crophas been harvested, being Aremoved to another portion of the fielditoforce other plants, the plants vthus forced being allowed to grownaturally `Without -`'further forcing, for f the number of yearsrequisite to restore the Aplants to a condition, ivherein they willyield, ivhen again forced,asulicientlyegood `crop to Warrant theexpenseincident to forcing them.` Thus .notionly is thelgrower of the plantsinterested, from ithe standpoint plants and their quick restorationitohealthy vigorous condition, after a forcing periodg this beingespecially`trueas to asparagus, asit requires a number `of V,years of growth`before Vit is'suiliciently strong and rigorous to fit it for forcing.

Referring now to the disadvantages `of forcing plants, especiallyasparagus,- by subljectingthem to relatively high temperature inaccordance Withfprior practice, one ofthe greatest disadvantages-is inthe character of thecropharvested. The high temperature maintained inthe houses heatstlie soil thereunder to substantially the heat .in the`houses and this" heat, `While causing ithe shoots to groiv lquickly,results in the shoots to be harvested, becoming draWnsand lspindlng intheir effort to mature, reducing-the size,weight and qualityof theLcrop,Yeven Aif at the time the forcingbegins the shoots are `of fairly largediameter, this in a measure being due `to the factffthat in the rapidgrowth of the shoots underthis highwtempera-ture, the Ashoots insteadAof ireceiving their nourishment from the `ground sur- *rounding theroots, which would result in causing the shoots to be of relativelylarge diameter, receive their nourishment, to a large degree, `from theroots and body ofthe plant, Which 4cannot in turn replenish the spentnourishment from the ground at `the samerate as it is givingit out, andthus, in effect, the plant becomes starved or debili- `tated to a degreedepending` on thea-apidity `of growth of the shoots, and this in turn sovweakeiisthe plants that if theydc not die, they require, forrecuperation, sometimes -many years of growth under natura-l conditionsif theyever do recuperate.

K Furthermore, the subjection of theiplants vto a high degree ofheatifor forcing, tenders them and if the forcing period ends'during theWinter and tl-iehouse is removed to an- -otherlocation for forcing, asisusually the case when forcingfis carried on under commercialconditions-*the plants require relaf tively heavy protection from frost,such as may beobtained byusing` manure, which it fisfthepracticetospread in'a thick blanket over the tender plants. The plantsbeing tender and highly susceptible to even the employment of theprotective blanket under practical conditions is not effective to themaximum degree, and the plants usually suffer recover, if at all, onlyafter a relatively long time has elapsed.

The forcing of the plants under a relatively high heat presents anotherdisadvantage which oftentimes proves very damand necessary to plantgrowth. rlhese un-` favorable bacteria thrive and become aggressivethough ordinarily innocuous, and increase very rapidly, as compared withthe favorable bacteria, when the ground is at the temperature at whichforcing is carried on under former practice, and thus these conditionsniilitate against the most favorable growth of the plant and operate tosupplement the rapid growth of the shoots, in producing the starving ofthe plant and its consequent loss of vitality, presenting another factorin retarding restoration of the plants to their natural vigor.

The spreading of manure or other protective covering over the plantsafter the forcing period, which involves relatively great expense, alsois objectionable, as when applied thick enough to protect the plants isof such depth that it results especially in connection with the hardbaked surface of the ground, to collect and hold the drifting snow whichmelted by the heat of the soil,

forms a waterblanket which over-lies the plants, preventing thecirculation of air through the soil, and causing the ground to becomesour, and smothering and killing the favorable bacteria in the ground,leaving the plants at least partially unprotected from the bacteria andother fungus growths unfavorable to the healthy growth of the plant, andwhich are caused to thrive and become dangerously parasitic to theplants at the relatively high temperatures stated, which in attackingthe plants, weakens them and oftentimes kills them. Furthermore themanure harbors vermin which are not only destructive to the plants butcarry and distribute unfavorable bacteria and other fungus growth.

The forcing of plants under high temperatures is also objectionable,inasmuch as the takes place, the higher the proportion of the cold,

a set-back from which they 'der' natural conditions for will exceed thatobtainable,

Yanother forcing period, with higher the temperature at which forcingtemperature required to restore the plants to growing condition, afterit has lapsed into v dormant condition, should the temperature in thehouse over the plants drop by accident, or otherwise, to a point wherethe ground becomes chilled suiliciently to render the plants dormant.

lt will also be understood plants are forced to such an extent and undersuch conditions as above stated, they are greatly weakened, requiringgrowth una relatively long that where the period of time, or whenkilled, or so im j paired that replanting is necessary, the item ofacreage planted, relative to area forced each year, is of great moment,from the standpoint of cost of conducting a farm on a commercial scale.

rllhe result generally stated of lforcing plants in accordance with thisprior practice, is that the erop is not only small and of relativelyinferior character, but the plants areweakened oftentimes fatally, andusually to such an extent that if they do recuperate they losepractically fty per cent. or more of theirk efficiency, these resultshaving led those engaged in the raising of aspara" gus in particular, toseriously consider the advisability of replanting all fields afteroneforcing, and involving the maintaining of av relatively large acreagecompared with the acres harvested each year.`

My objects, generally stated, are to provide an improved method ofvforcing which shall be eminently suited to the forcing of plants onacommercial scale, and whereby the crop yield for any given area ofplants by the methods` previously employed, the character of the eropwill be improved, and the plants by forcing will not be materiallyweakened as distinguished from the plants in the case of forcing inaccordance with prior practices, whereby they may recuperate practicallyto normal condition, and be ready for the desirable results, after arelatively short period of subjection to natural growingconditions.

lilly invention, broadly stated, consists in forcing the plants afterthey have matured following the natural Vgrowing season, by

covering theinwith any suitable house or other inclosure such as Vis nowcommonly used and maintaining the air therein', by arf 'tificial means,at a temperature above freez- 'ino' and below about 55D F., preferablyat 7 i a tempera ture from 35o toV L50 F. The reand which when theystartto grow arethick andA vigorous, maintain this characteristic duringtheirslow growth, and do `not hasten to mature and thereby become drawn loutticularly true as regards the forcingof asparagus, where it is desiredthat the shoots,

forming the crop, be relatively thick.

i0, y y

tively low temperature stated is not con- Furthermore, the maintainingof the `reladucive to the propagation and vitalizing of i, theunfavorable -bacteria or other fungus growth and therefore the plantsgrow and thrive under the most favorable conditions. Another importantadvantage in employing my method, is that the plants are notu'ndulyweakened by the forcing process, and inasmuchas the temperature to whichthey are subjected is low, they do not become tendered to such a degreeas renders necessary the use of the objectionable covering necessary tobe placed over them when high temperature is`used, as above stated, uponremoving the house or inclosuie7 in the winter,after the forcing periodis over, and thus the objections above pointed out are avoided. Also thevolume of the crop harvested from a given number of plants is greaterthan the volume harvested from the same number of plants when high heat`is used, as practically the same number' of shoots are harvested andthe thickness of each shoot is greater, and when the elements oftheVdevitalizing of the plants andtheir ruin or their requirement for arelatively long period of rest before again forcing under the oldpractice, are considered, not

only. the yield per acreof plants, butV also the yield per house, evenwhen the condition that a house under my improved method is used at twolocations only in a given season in a iield, is considered,- is greaterthan when high temperatures are employed under which latter conditionV ahouse may be used at threellocations in a field during a forcing season.Another factor in the reducing of theeXpense of conducting a business offorcing plants out of season by using my improved method, is that -offuel consumption-` Steam or hot water is usually employed to heat thehouses, and whereas according to the old practice,V where high heat isemployed, the

` cost of fuel consumption is relatively great,

by reason of the relatively low heat maintained in accordance with myniethod, the cost of fuel consumption is relatively small andfurthermore by reason of the necessity :for a heating plant ofrelatively small ca- ;,iacity only, the expense of installation isgreatly reduced. Any suitablemeans may be employed for carrying outmjy-improved method, a desirable form of meansv for this purpose beingshown in the accompanying drawings `in which the figure shown is a"`plan viewin the nature of a diagram of a plurality of forcing-housesand a hot waterV `system for supplying heat thereto.

`and the houses to be used in forcing are moved from one group of rowsof plants to another to reposition the houses after a foro ing operationhas been complet-ed, and the arrangement illustrated is of suchcharacter that the forcing may be carried on as above stated.

ln the particular arrangement illustrated Ain the accompanying drawingby a dia- "animatie view a hot waterboiler is replongV under someconditions and stretching acrosstheiield preferably at substantiallyright angles to the .rows of plants to be forced. The return pipe forthe hot water isrepresented at 5, this pipe being preferably ofsubstantially the same length as the pipe i and paralleling ity acrossthe iield as indicated in the d airing. The return pipe connects withthe lower part of boiler in accordance with the common practice ofproviding hot water heating installations. Alpump represented at G, andwhich may be of any suitable construction is interposed in the returnpipe 5 closely adjacent to the Ypoint at which the latter communicateswith by the pipe S, and serving the usual purpose.

A number of the forcing houses are repre`r sented-at 9 and it may beherestated that I do not wish, by the arrangement shown in the drawing,to be understood as intending to limit my invention to any particularrelation of the houses to each other, or to the heating system. Thehouses referred to may be of any suitable construction, but as houses ofthis `kind have been used for a number of years andare well known in theart, description Ythereof `would appear to be unnecessary. ,in theparticular arrangement shown, each house is adapted to be connected withthe pipes 4l and 5, to cause the heating medium to circulatetherethrough for Viiiaintaining the ground covered by the house-i at thedesired temperature. ri-cccrd- Vingly each house 9 contains thepiping 10which iscoupled at its ends 11 and 12 with pipes 13 and 11,respectively, communicating with the pipes land 5 respectively, thepoints at which the pipes arc so coupled being reiln'csenta-d at 15 and1G. rEhe ends 11 and 12 of the pipes 10 contain valves 17 and 1Srespectively and the adjacent ends of the pipes 13 and 111 containvalves 19 and 20 respectively, and this arrangement is carried onthroughout he system, the pipes l and 5 being tapped at intervals asrepresented generally in the drawings to provide connections betweenthese pipes and the various houses.

1t will be readily understood from the foregoing that when the valves17, 1S, 19, and 2O controlling any one of theliouses 9, are open, theheating water will circulate therethroughand thus heat the houses, andthat by these valves the supplying of the heat medium to the houses maybe controlled and regulated as desired. Furthermore the provision of thevalves 17 and 18 serve to prevent the running of the water out of thepiping 10, where hot water is used as the heating medium, in the eventof the shiftof the houses to different locations.

ln the operation of the heating system the heat medium is supplied tothe houses as above stated in such volume as to cause the temperature ofthe air in the houses to be l maintained at a temperature slightly abovefreezing, and below about 55 F. preferably from 35 to 45C F., until theperiod of forcing has elapsed. r1he houses may then be shifted toanother location for forcing other plants, and in this connectionattention may again be brought to the fact thatinasmuch as thetemperature to which the plants have been subjected is relatively low,the danger of damaging the plants by cold air, upon uncovering them,which occurs when the houses are moved to a new location, is practically negligible and renders necessary the use of very light coveringonly, if any, for the plants. a

In the commercial exploitation of vmy iinproved method the houses, asabove stated, would usually be provided with the idea of shifting themto a new location after the forcing operation at the places at which theProvision isv houses were initially placed. made in the arrangementillustrated for carrying out this practice. When a house is to be movedthe couplings 15 and 16 are separated and after the house has beenpositioned at the new location the ends 11 and 12 may be connectedtogether through the Leader/iA means of relatively short lengths of pipe(not shown) which would be connected at the said couplings. lt'will bereadily understood that my invention Vis not in anyv way dependent uponthis or any other specific feature of the apparatus shown, and 1 do nottherefore wish to be understood as intending to limit the invention inanyway to the practising ofv the same in connection with the apparatusshown.VV

ll'vlliat 1 claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is 1. 1nthe art of forcing asparagus in the field, the process of cultivatingthe einbedded plants, inclosing the plants in the field after suchcultivation and after thel vating they embedded plants, 'inclosing theplants in the field after such cultivation and after the completion oftheir natural growing period, and thereafter causing them to grow duringa period other than their Vnatural growing period by subjecting themcontinuously throughout such forcing period Vto a temperature abovefreezing and from 35? to 150 F.

ln the art` of forcing the growth of asparagus in the held, the processof cultivating the embedded plants, iiiclosing the plants iii the iieldafter such Vcultivation and after the completion of their naturalgrowth, and thereafter causing them to grow during a period other thantheir naturalgrowing period by subyecting themly continuously throughoutsuch forcing period to al temperature above freezing and below 55 F. byintroducing heat into the inclosure for the plants and above the surfaceof the ground. Y

f1. 1n the art ofV forcingV the growth of asparagus in the field, theprocess of cultivating the embedded plants, inclosingthe plants in thefield after such cultivation and after the completion of their naturalgrowperied, and thereafter causing them to grow during a period otherthan their natural growing period by subjecting them continuouslythroughout such forcing period to a temperature above freezing and from350 to Ll5 F. by introducing heat into the inclosure for the plants andabove the surface of the ground.

nUDoLri-i i). KLiiin.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, byiadiessng theCommissioner of Patents,

' Washington, ZD. C.

